1. Technical Field:
The present invention relates in general to improvements in data processing systems and in particular to improvements in processing server requests in a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system which permits concurrent processing of multiple server requests utilizing diverse servers without requiring a user to terminate and load an alternate File System Driver.
2. Description of the Related Art:
Distributed data processing systems are well known in the art. It is not uncommon for many thousands of personal computers, workstations and/or mainframe computers to be linked together in various topologies to form different types of networks. Examples of known networks include: Advance-Peer-To-Peer-Networks (APPN's); Local Area Networks (LAN's); Star Networks; Token-Ring Networks; Tree Networks, and many others. The flexibility of such networks is quite high and individual users may enjoy effective access to the assets of many different users within the network.
Often it is necessary or desirable to assign to an interface between separate sections of a network a higher capacity device which may be utilized to provide facilities for other users within the system. These higher capacity devices, known as servers, act as a control to permit files and applications in one area of the network to be accessed and utilized by other users. These servers are utilized by users within the network by means of File System Drivers (FSD's), sometimes referred to as an Installable File System (IFS) or a "redirector." A File System Driver is generally loaded as part of the configure system file and serves to define the relationships between the operating system, the file system and device drivers. The File System Driver constitutes code which converts general input/output requests by the user to requests which are recognized by a selected server. Thus, File System Drivers are generally designed to operate in conjunction with a particular server or class of servers.
In the prior art a user desiring to utilize a particular server device must ensure that the appropriate File System Driver has been loaded. Subsequently, if a user desires to utilize an alternate server it is necessary to reload the operating system and select an alternate File System Driver. Recently, the International Business Machines Corporation OS/2 Operating System Version 1.3 has demonstrated the utilization of dual File System Driver support. This operating system supports both the IBM Network File System Driver and the Novell Network File System Driver by changing all path-based API's kernel routines to permit failing calls for a server to one File System Driver to be automatically be sent to the alternate File System Driver. While this represents an increase in network efficiency, this approach only applies to the IBM/Novell File System Drivers and does not accommodate concurrent utilization of both File System Drivers.
It should therefore be apparent that a need exists for a method and system which permits the concurrent processing of multiple server requests utilizing diverse servers without requiring a user to terminate and load an alternate File System Driver.